Structural relaxation of Zr60Al15Ni25 amorphous ribbon: experimental evidence of the electrical resistivity

In order to study the structural relaxation of the Zr60Al15Ni25 amorphous ribbon, the electrical resistivity was experimentally investigated. The changes in the resistivity before glass transition temperature were observed. Two temperature points (423K and 573K) were chosen for cyclic heating experiments. The results showed that both irreversibility and reversibility of structural changes existed in amorphous alloys, which were related to the selected temperature and cycle times. Based on the scattering mechanism of electron conduction in metal, the structural defects model was used to explain the changes of electrical resistivity. The sample was in a highly disorder state after experienced thermal cycling of high temperature (573K). The number and kind of atoms may be changed to increase the crystallisation range.